Press for textile goods



June 21, 1966 MEYER PRESS FOR TEXTILE GOODS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 24, 1964 FIG] FIGZ

INVENTOR.

ARNFRIED MEYER BY @mwflm A TTORN E Y? June 21, 1966 A. MEYER PRESS FOR TEXTILE GOODS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 24, 1964 R ma m WM W N R A ATTORNEYS June'Zl, 1966 A. MEYER PRESS FOR TEXTILE GOODS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 24, 1964 L F 9 m 9! 7 1 B .lllmw 2 O 6 B l W m7 u\ .6

INVENTOR ARNFRIED MEYER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 13 Claims. (c1. 68-241) The present invention relates to an installation for pressing or squeezing out wet textile goods, especially to a laundry press, with a preferably vertical press cylinder, within which a press piston or press plunger is adapted to be moved preferably hydraulically, and with a closure partfor closing the open cylinder end during the pressing or squeezing out operation.

The sequence of operation during the pressing or squeezing out operation of Wet textile goods with the aid of a laundry press was such heretofore that a corresponding quantity of textile materials or goods to be pressed or squeezed out was placed into the press cylinder, whereupon the open end of the press cylinder was closed with the aid of a closure part. After the pressing or squeezing-out operation, the pressed or squeezed out goods after removal of the closure part, had to be taken by hand out of the press cylinder. Since the individual laundry parts adhere very securely to one another as a result of the pressing operation, the takingout of the squeezed out laundry becomes very difficult and correspondingly tedious and time consuming. In order to facilitate and accelerate this operation, it has already been proposed heretofore to displace, after termination of the pressing or squeezing operation, the press cylinder laterally together with the pressed goods disposed therein and to place the same over a second piston by means of which, in a further operating step, the pressed goods were completely pushed upwardly. In this position, the pressed-out goods can then be pushed by a person toward one side to be conveyed or transferred on a roller conveyer or on an endless belt to a drying installation. The last-mentioned method thus pre-supposes two pistons over which a press cylinder has to be brought alternately for the pressing and ejection.

The purpose of the present invention is to create an installation for pressing or squeezing out wet textile goods which simplifies the ejection of the pressed out textile goods and more particularly both as regards the necessary installations as well as regards the operating steps to be carried out. The solution of the underlying problems in accordance with the present invention resides in that the textile goods are lifted after the pressing or squeezing out operation by the press piston up to the height of the upper rim of the press cylinders and in that the closure part or a separately provided conveyer slide member conveys or transfers the textile goods out of the area of the cylinder aperture.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the closure part can be constructed as a hydraulically actuated sliding cover which conveys or transports with the forward edge thereof, preferably constructed as an abutment, the pressed-out textile goods out of the area of the aperture of the press cylinder.

The installation of the present invention has the ad vantage that the emptying of the press cylinder is realized by mechanical means which are needed already for the pressing operation. Consequently, no additional installations are required any longer. Furthermore, the possibility results therefrom to automate the entire operating process, that is, the pressing and emptying operations so that only the insertion of the wet textile goods represents a separate operating step.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a press for pressing or squeezing out wet textile 3,256,721 Patented June 21, 1966 goods which eliminates, by extremely simple and operationally reliable means, the shortcomings and drawbacks encountered with the prior art constructions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a laundry press for pressing out wet textile goods which minimizes the number of parts necessary for satisfactory operation of the machine.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a laundry press for pressing out wet laundry goods which permits far-reaching automation without requiring additional structural parts by utilizing the parts already present and required for the pressing operation.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a pressing installation for pressing out wet textile goods which not only facilitates and accelerates the pressing out operations, but also simplifies the overall operation thereof.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, and wherein FIGURE 1 is a partial side elevational view of a laundry press according to the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional View taken along line II-II of FIGURE 1, 4

FIGURE 3 is a partial side elevational view similar to FIGURE 1 but in schematic form and including a hydraulic circuit control arrangement,

FIGURE 4 is a partial side elevational view of a laundry press according to a modification of the present invention,

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the modification as shown in FIGURE 4, and

FIGURE 6 is a partial side elevational view similar to FIGURE 4 but in schematic form and including a hydraulic circuit control arrangement.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are used to designate like parts, the installation for pressing out wet textile goods illustrated therein, to be referred to hereinafter as laundry press, essentially consists of a press cylinder 1 within which a press piston 2 is actuatable preferably hydraulically. The press piston 2 is guided within a hydraulic cylinder 3 to which is supplied in a known conventional manner, a pressure fluid so that the press piston 2 can be selectively moved from the lowermost position thereof upwardly into the illustrated working position thereof. The textile goods pressed together during the pressing operation are indicated above the press piston 2 by reference numeral 4 (FIGURE 1). An annular channel 6 provided with a water discharge aperture 6' is arranged about the upper rim 5 of the press cylinder 1 through which can flow off the pressed or squeezed out water. The upper aperture of the press cylinder 1 is adapted to be closed off by means of a closure part 7. The height of the press cylinder 1 is slightly less than the height of the guide surfaces and cover 7, thereby providing a recess 1' through which the pressed-out water may How to the channel 6. The closure part 7 is constructed in the illustrated embodiment as a sliding cover which is supported laterally movable within suitable guide means 8 in such a manner that the sliding cover 7 can be moved or displaced from the illustrated closing position in which it completely covers the upper aperture of the press cylinder 1, into a rest position in which the area of the upper aperture of the press cylinder 1 is completely freed and opened up. For the displacement from the rest position into the closure position and back, the closure part 7 is provided with a hydraulic cylinder 9 within which is guided a working piston supported at the outer free end of the guide means 8. The pressurized liquid is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder 9 in the usual conventional manner. An excess pressure valve 11 is operatively connected to the left end (FIGURE 1) of the hydraulic cylinder 9 which excess pressure or relief valve 11 is operatively connected by way of a pipe 12 with a further cylinder 13. The cylinder 13 is mounted concentrically in the closure part 7 and receives a piston 14, to the lower end of which is secured a counter plate provided with a plurality of perforations or apertures 15. The closure part 7 is preferably provided with an aperture or recess 16 in which the counterplate 15 is completely received so that the bottom side of the closure part 7 forms a planar surface. The counterplate 15 is adapted to be moved in and out by means ofthe piston 14. The inward or retracting movement can also be effected by means of springs 17 or at least can be assisted thereby. The counterplate 15 is also held in the rest position thereof by the springs 17. For those reasons, the springs 17 are under a preferably adjustable pre-stress made possible by means of handles 17' which threadably engage with the bolts 17" and are in contact with slidable plate 17". Thus, when the handles are screwed downwardly, the tension of the springs will be increased.

Operation The operation of the laundry press in accordance with the present invention is as follows:

After the press cylinder 1 is filled with wet textile goods, liquid under pressure is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder 9 whereupon the closure part 7 is moved from the rest position 7' thereof into the closure position thereof in which the upper aperture of the press cylinder 1 is closed off. The pressure of the hydraulic pressure medium necessary for the displacement of the closure part 7 lies thereby below the adjusted pressure in the excess pressure valve 11 so that the piston 14 and therewith the counter plate 15 are not actuated during this phase of operation. Only at the moment at which the closure part 7 has assumed its closing position which may be defined, for example, by the abutment 8, the pressure within the hydraulic pressure medium rises above the adjusted value in the excess pressure valve 11 so that the latter is actuated and the counter plate 15 is now displaced into the exposed position thereof as shown in dot and dash lines (FIGURE 2). After the closure piece 7 assumes the closing position thereof, pressure liquid is caused to flow into the hydraulic cylinder 3 by hydraulic control means (FIGURE 3) described below, and the press piston 2 slides upwardly in the press cylinder 1. As a result thereof, the textile goods are compressed and the water contained therein is pressed or squeezed out of the same. The pressed-out water flows off through the ring channel 6 and/or through still other discharge lines. During this pressing operation, the counter plate 15 is pressed back into the rest position thereof. After a predetermined time which is preferably adjusted and set in a suitable program switch control system of conventional construction, the pressure is removed from the hydraulic pressure medium in the hydraulic cylinder 3 so that the press piston 2 now moves downwardly at least by a slight amount. This movement is assisted by the counter pressure of the counter plate 15. Since the counter plate 15 consists of porous material or is constructed in a perforated manner, the textile goods 4 pressed out during the pressing operation can detach themselves from the counter plate 15 and therewith from the closure part 7. Subsequently, the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder 9 is also adjusted to zero whereupon the counter plate 15 again returns with the aid of the springs 17 into the rest position thereof within the closure part 7. The closure part 7 is moved back into the rest position 7' by a corresponding counter pressure in the hydraulic cylinder 9 and/or also by suitable spring forces. Due to a renewed pressure increase in the hydraulic cylinder 3, the press piston 2 now slides further upwardly up to the end position thereof at the height of the rim 5 of the press cylinder 1. The compressed textile goods now lie completely above the press cylinder 1 as indicated in FIGURE 1 by reference numeral 4'. The valve for the liquid under pressure in the hydraulic cylinder 9 is now again opened so that the sliding cover 7 is again displaced from the rest position into the closing position thereof, whereby the forward edge of the closing part 7 serving as abutment now pushes the textile goods 4' out of the area of the aperture of the press cylinder 1. A conveyer belt or roller conveyer may be connected to the laundry press of the present invention which conveys the textile goods directly to a drying installation. After the last operating step, both the closure part 7 as well as the press piston 2 return to the initial starting positions thereof. The laundry press is now readied for the next pressing operation. The in dividual operating steps of the described pressing operation may take place automatically in proper timed sequence by means of a conventional programming control system such as suitable switch gear or electronic equipment so that only the press cylinder 1 has to be filled with wet textile goods and the pressing operation has to be initiated subsequently by hand.

FIGURE 3 discloses the complete press including the above-mentioned programming control system indicated in block form by numeral which system is conventional and may take the form of any known system capable of providing hydraulic pressure alternately to a pair of lines in a timed sequential operation. Fluid pressure lines 51 and 52, which lead from the control system 50 to the cylinder 3, provide the means for raising and lowering the piston 2 by effecting the application of fluid pressure on either side thereof; while fluid pressure lines 53 and 54, which lead to the working piston 10, provide the means for effecting reciprocal movement of the cylinder 9.

An abutment 8' is shown schematically as the means for limiting the extent to which the cylinder 9 may travel during closure of the cover 7. Fluid pressure line 11' connects relief valve 11 with the cylinder 9 as shown. When cylinder 9 engages the abutment 8', the line 53 continues to supply fluid to the cylinder 9 thereby causing a rise in fluid pressure inside the cylinder and in line 11' which opens relief valve 11 to supply pressure fluid to line 12 and counter plate cylinder 13. Consequently, the piston 14 which is located within cylinder 13 displaces the counter plate 15 to its work position.

In addition, conventional terminal switches may be provided as shown for indicating the relative positions of the piston 2, cylinder 9, and counter plate 15, thereby providing means for a completely automatic operation of the press in accordance with the sequence of individual operating steps as described above.

It is within the scope and purview of the present invention to construct the closure part as a pivotal cover which is pivoted, for example hydraulically, into the closing position thereof during the beginning of the pressing operation. FIGURE 4 illustrates such an embodiment including a laterally slideable support part 7" adapted for reciprocal movement within the guide 8 and a pivotal cover 7" which is hinged to the left front edge of the support part 7" by means of a shaft or pin 18. At the hinged end portion of the pivotal cover there is fastened an arm 19 which is. pivotally connected by means of a conventional pin and slot arrangement, to one end of the piston rod 20 of the piston guided within cylinder 9'. The cylinder 9' is supported by support flange 21 of the lateral support part 7". Cylinder 9 is also supported on the same flange in a similar manner as shown in FIG- URE 1.

The pivotal cover 7" is substantially similar in all other respects to the cover 7 shown in FIGURE 1 and includes the above-described relief valve 11, pipe 12, cylinder 13, piston 14, and counter plate 15. A flexible hydraulic line 12' connects the valve 11 to the cylinder 9'.

While I have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited thereto, but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to a person skilled in the art. It is also possible within the present invention to provide separate transporting slide members which convey or displace the textile goods to a conveyer belt at the end of the pressing operation. An automatic operation of the entire pressing operation is equally feasible with such constructions. Thus, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details shown and described herein, but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to a person skilled in the art, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein, but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising:

press cylinder means having an open end, press piston means slidable within said press cylinder means, closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which the goods are adapted to be pressed between said piston means and said closure means, said closure means being movable to open the open end of the press cylinder means to allow the textile goods to be moved into and out of said cylinder means, water removal means for removing water from said press cylinder means, means including actuating means actuating said press piston means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out operation by the press piston means to such a position that the lower surface of said textile goods is slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means, and means including said closure means for moving the textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim, said closure means being constructed as a hydraulically actuated sliding cover which laterally displaces with the forward edge thereof, constructed as an abutment, the pressed out and lifted textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means, and common hydraulic circuit means for actuating both said olosure means and said press piston means. 2. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising:

press cylinder means having an open end, press piston means slidable within said press cylinder means, closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which the goods are adapted to be pressed between said piston means and said closure means, said closure means being movable to open the open end of the press cylinder means to allow the textile goods to be moved into and out of said cylinder means, water removal means for removing water from said press cylinder means, means including actuating means actuating said press piston means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out operation by.the press piston means to such a position that the lower surface of said textile goods are slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means, and means including said closure means for moving the textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

saidclosure means being constructed as a hydraulically actuable pivotal cover, and hydraulically actuable means for laterally moving said pivotal cover in the open position thereof above the area of the opening of the press cylinder means for moving the lifted textile goods out of the area of said open end.

3. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising:

press cylinder means having an open end,

press piston means slidable within said press cylinder means,

closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which the goods are adapted to be pressed between said piston means and said closure means, said closure means being movable to open the open end of the press cylinder means to allow the textile goods to be moved into and out of said cylinder means,

water removal means for removing water from said press cylinder means,

means including actuating means actuating said press piston means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out operation by the press piston means'to such a position that the lower surface of said textile goods is slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means,

and means including said closure means for moving the textile goods out Of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

said closure means being constructed as a pivotal cover and being provided with slidable transporting means, and hydraulic actuating means for actuating said pivotal cover and laterally moving said slidable transporting means in a sequential manner above the area of the open end of the press cylinder means for moving the lifted textile goods out of the area of said open end.

4. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising:

press cylinder means having an open end,

- press piston means slidable within said .press cylinder means,

closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which the goods are adapted to be pressed between said piston means and said closure means, said closure means being movable to open the open end of the press cylinder means to allow the textile goods to be moved into and out of said cylinder means,

means including actuating means actuating said press piston means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out operation by the press piston means to such a position that the lower surface of said textilegoods is slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means,

and means including said closure means for moving the textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

said closure means being provided with counter plate means for disengaging the pressed out textile goods otherwise rigidly adhering to the bottom side of the closure means as a result of the pressing operation,

said counter plate means being provided with means for allowing Water to drain to said water rem-oval means during the pressing operation.

5. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising:

press cylinder means having an open end,

press piston means slidable within said press cylinder means,

closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which the goods are adapted to be pressed between said piston means and said closure means, said closure means being movable to open the open end of the press cylinder means to allow the textile goods to be moved into and out of said cylinder means,

water removal means [for removing water from said press cylinder means,

means including actuating means actuating said press piston means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out operation by the press piston means to such a position that the lower surface of said textile goods is slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means,

and means including said closure means for moving the textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

said closure means being provided with counter plate means movable between a rest position and a work position for disengaging the pressed out textile goods otherwise rigidly adhering to the bottom side of the closure means as a result of the pressing operation,

said counter plate means being provided with a plurality of perforations for allowing water to drain to said water removal means during the pressing operation when said counter plate means is in the work position,

said closure means having a recessed portion for receiving therein said counter plate means in the rest position thereof.

6. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising:

press cylinder means having an open end,

press piston means slidable Within said press cylinder means,

closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which the goods are adapted to be pressed between said piston means and said closure means, said closure means being movable to open the open end of the press cylinder means to allow the textile goods to be moved into and out of said cylinder means,

water removal means for removing water from said press cylinder means,

means including actuating means actuating said press piston means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out operation by the press piston means to such a position that the lower surface of said textile goods is slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means,

and means including said closure means for moving the textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

said closure means being provided with counter plate means for disengaging the pressed out textile goods otherwise rigidly adhering to the bottom side of the closure means as a result of the pressing operation,

and common hydraulic circuit means 'for actuating both said closure means and said counter plate means.

7. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising:

substantially vertical press cylinder means having an open end,

press piston means slidable within said press cylinder means,

closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which the goods are adapted to be pressed between said piston means and said closure means, said closure means being movable to open the open end of the press cylinder means to allow the textile goods to be moved into and out of said cylinder means,

water removal means for removing water from said press cylinder means,

means including hydraulic actuating means actuating said press piston means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out operation by the press piston means to such a position that the lower surface of said textile goods is slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means,

and means including said closure means for moving the textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

said closure means being provided with hydraulically actuated counter plate means movable between a rest position and a work position for disengaging the pressed out textile goods otherwise rigidly adhering to the bottom side of the closure means as a result of the pressing operation,

said closure means having a recessed portion for receiving therein said counter plate means, said counter plate means being completely disposed within said recessed portion in the rest position thereof,

and common hydraulic circuit means for actuating both said closure means and said counter plate means.

8. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising:

press cylinder means having an open end,

press piston means slidable within said press cylinder means,

closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which the goods are adapted to be pressed between said piston means and said closure means, said closure means being movable to open the open end of the press cylinder means to allow the textile goods to be moved into and out of said cylinder means,

water removal means for removing water from said press cylinder means,

means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out operation by the press piston means to such a position that the lower surface of said textile goods is slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means,

and means including said closure means for moving the pressed out textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press, cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

said closure means being provided with counter plate means movable between a rest position and a work position for disengaging the pressed out textile goods otherwise rigidly adhering to the bottom side of the closure means as a result of the pressing operation,

said counter plate means including a press plate being provided with a plurality of perforations for allowing water to drain to said water removal means during the pressing operation,

and spring means for urging said counter plate means into the rest position thereof.

9. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising:

press cylinder means having an open end,

press piston means slidable within said press cylinder means,

closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which the goods are adapted to be pressed between said piston means and said closure means, said closure means being movable to open the open end of the press cylinder means to allow the textile goods to be moved into and out of said cylinder means,

water removal means for removing water from said press cylinder means,

means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out operation by the press piston means to such a position that the lower surface of said textile goods is slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means,

and means including said closure means for moving the pressed out textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

said closure means being provided with counter plate means movable between a rest position and a work position for disengaging the pressed out textile goods otherwise rigidly adhering to the bottom side of the closure mean-s as a result of the pressing operation,

said counter plate means including a press plate being provided with a plurality of perforations for allowing water to drain to said water removal means during the pressing operation,

and spring means for urging said counter plate means into the rest position thereof, said spring means being provided with pre-tension adjusting means.

10. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising:

substantially vertical press cylinder means having an open end,

press piston means slidable within said press cylinder means,

closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which the goods are adapted to be pressed between said piston means and said closure means, said closure means being movable to open the open end of the press cylinder means to allow the textile goods to be moved into and out of said cylinder means,

water removal means for removing water from said press cylinder means,

means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out operation by the press piston means to such a position that the lower surface of said textile goods is slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means,

and means including said closure means for moving the pressed out textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

said closure means being provided with hydraulically actuaib le counter plate means movable between a rest position and a work position for disengaging the pressed out textile goods otherwise rigidly adhering to the bottom side of the closure means as a result of the pressing operation,

said counter plate means being provided with a plurality of perforations for allowing water to drain to said Water removal means during the pressing operation,

and spring means for urging said counter plate means into the rest position thereof.

11. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising:

press cylinder means having an open end,

press piston means slidable within said pressing cylinder means,

closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which and means including said closure means for moving the pressed out textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

said closure means being provided with hydraulically actuated counter plate means for disengaging the pressed out textile goods otherwise rigidly adhering to the bottom side of the closure means as a result of the pressing operation,

and common hydraulic circuit means for actuating both said closure means and said counter plate means including adjustable excess pressure valve means operatively connected between the closure means and counter plate means.

12. An'installation [for pressing water out of wet textile goods, especially a laundry press, comprising: press cylinder means having an open end,

press piston means slidable within said pressing cylinder means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out' operation by the press piston means to such a position that the lower surface of said textile goods is slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means, and means including said closure means for moving the pressed out textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

said closure means being provided with hydraulically actuated counter plate means movable between a rest position and a work position for disengaging the pressed out textile goods otherwise rigidly adhering to the bottom side of the closure means as a result of the pressing operation,

and common hydraulic circuit means for actuating both said closure means and said counter plate means including means for actuating said counter plate means only in the closing position of the closure means so that said counter plate means assumes the work position thereof only in the said closing position.

13. An installation for pressing water out of wet textile goods,'especially a laundry press, comprising:

press cylinder means having an open end,

press piston means slidable within said press cylinder means,

closure means for closing the open end of the press cylinder means during the pressing operation in which the goods are adapted to be pressed between said piston means and said closure means, said closure means being movable to open the open end of the press cylinder means to allow the textile goods to be moved into and out of said cylinder means,

water removal means for removing water from said press cylinder means,

means for lifting the textile goods after the pressing out operation by the press piston mean-s to such a position that the lower surface of said textile goods is slightly above the upper rim of the press cylinder means,

and means including said closure means for moving the pressed out textile goods out of the area of the open end of the press cylinder means when the goods have been lifted above said rim,

said closure means being provided with hydraulically actuated counter plate means movable between a rest position and a work position for disengaging the pressed out textile goods otherwise rigidly adhering to the bottom side of the closure means as a result of the pressing operation,

1 1 1 2 said closure means having a recessed portion for ac- 2,503,354 4/1950 Quinn 10053 X oommodating therein said counter plate means being 2,538,403 1/1951 Watson 100 -127 X completely disposed Within said recessed portion in 2,576,776 11/1951 Cavagnaro, et a1. 100l27 e rest position 2,586,292 2/1952 Berger 100-256 X and common hydraulic circuit means for actuatlng both 5 2,705,916 4 /1955 Mmgard X said closure means and said counter plate means in- 2 711 642 6/1955 MeyBr X eluding adjustable excess pressure valve means opera- 2:817:290 12/1957 Parker g 100 110 X tively connected between the closure means and counter plate means, and means for actuating said 3070003 12/1962 Stacy counter plate means only in the closing position of 10 FORETGN PATENTS the closure means so that said counter plate means 549 720 4/1932 Ger y assumes the 'work position thereof only in the said closing position. 1,118,757 12/1961 Germany.

- 514,521 2/1955 Italy. References Cited by the Examiner 15 UNITED STATES PATENTS WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

1,284,756 11/1918 oDonnell 100232 BILLY J. WILHITE, Assistant Examiner.

1,458,235 6/1923 Montalto 68241 X 

1. AN INSTALLATION FOR PRESSING WATER OUT OF WET TEXTILE GOODS, ESPECIALLY A LAUNDRY PRESS, COMPRISING: PRESS CYLINDER MEANS HAVING AN OPEN END, PRESS PISTON MEANS SLIDABLE WITHIN SAID PRESS CYLINDER MEANS, CLOSURE MEANS FOR CLOSING THE OPEN END OF THE PRESS CYLINDER MEANS DURING THE PRESSING OPERATION IN WHICH THE GOODS ARE ADAPTED TO BE PRESSED BETWEEN SAID PISTON MEANS AND SAID CLOSURE MEANS, SAID CLOSURE MEANS BEING MOVABLE TO OPEN THE OPEN END OF THE PRESS CYLINDER MEANS TO ALLOW THE TEXTILE GOODS TO BE MOVED INTO AND OUT OF SAID CYLINDER MEANS, WATER REMOVAL MEANS FOR REMOVING WATER FROM SAID PRESS CYLINDER MEANS, MEANS INCLUDING ACTUATING MEANS ACTUATING SAID PRESS PISTON MEANS FOR LIFTING THE TEXTILE GOODS AFTER THE PRESSING OUT OPERATION BY THE PRESS PISTON MEANS TO SUCH A POSITION THAT THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID TEXTILE GOODS IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE UPPER RIM OF THE PRESS CYLINDER MEANS, AND MEANS INCLUDING SAID CLOSURE MEANS FOR MOVING THE TEXTILE GOODS OUT OF THE AREA OF THE OPEN END OF THE PRESS CYLINDER MEANS WHEN THE GOODS HAVE BEEN LIFTED ABOVE SAID RIM, SAID CLOSURE MEANS BEING CONSTRUCTED AS A HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED SLIDING COVER WHICH LATERALLY DISPLACES WITH THE FORWARD EDGE THEREOF, CONSTRUCTED AS AN ABUTMENT, THE PRESSED OUT AND LIFTED TEXTILE GOODS OUT OF THE AREA OF THE OPEN END OF THE PRESS CYLINDER MEANS, AND COMMON HYDRAULIC CIRCUIT MEANS FOR ACTUATING BOTH SAID CLOSURE MEANS AND SAID PRESS PISTON MEANS. 